Aiko was just 15-years-old when she participated on ‘Superstar,’ and while she remembers it as “interesting” to learn about the TV process, she admitted what she didn’t see there, “I don’t think it actually taught me the beauty of music though, the creative process, appreciation of each individual’s originality. It was more about putting a show on (and that is also a very valuable skill!) and I had to find my persona myself later.”

And that she did as she made moves both literally and figuratively throughout her career. We started talking about those location changes, dove into dance and ended with how she’s been taking full advantage of her time at home in this back and forth exchange.

Kendra: When it comes to your 2018 debut you pulled from the various places you’ve lived from Moscow to Czech to London. How important do you feel locale is for a musician? Do you think an artist has to have a connection to where they call home to work well?

Aiko: That’s an interesting question! I think it’s important to just have a sense of belonging and to feel connected to yourself and the place where you currently are – just for the sake of a clear mind that is capable of creating (or you can use the sense of not belonging as inspiration, just like I did). So in that sense, I think yes, otherwise it turns into an endless search for yourself and your true home. For performing, as long as you have an audience in the city, I don’t think it’s that important to feel connected, you just have to feel the people.

Kendra: Your latest video for “Down” has this wonderful dance sequence as well as impeccable art. Are you a trained dancer or was that the result of some heavy-duty practice?

Aiko: Thank you, I wish! I love dancing, it feels like an extension of music for me, but was never professionally trained, always did it just because I love it so much! We worked on this one for a few months. I’ve been doing pole dancing for a few years now and dived into contemporary dance not so long ago, so my pole teacher, Aneta Kopickova, was actually the one to come up with the choreo and then came the drilling!

Kendra: I loved the shots that showcased religious art and then paralleled them back to you. It reminded me of the parallels between music and religion; churches and venues each being heavens for people, singing along to choirs vs. singing along to a band, and the idea that each could bring you an internal calm. With that, can you recall a time where music touched you on another level, so much so it felt like some sort of divine intervention?

Aiko: That’s why I love performing so much. You can “lose yourself” in the music, completely submerge and lose the sense of reality whilst doing it and share it with other people – and I get to experience it quite often when I perform. Other than that, I always feel it when I go see other artists that I love, especially at festivals, where although you don’t know the other people that are around you, you somehow all sing and leave the music flow through you and you have a special connection at that moment, in a way.

Kendra: Before we got “Down,” you gave us “Bad Influence.” Instead of asking the obvious, we’ll go with this…what or who has had the biggest positive influence on your career thus far?

Aiko: Just like for many people, my mother was my biggest positive influence on my career. She didn’t teach me how to be artistic or anything, as I don’t come from a musical background, but she saw the passion in me early on and supported me, told me to embrace my qualities, and set a great mindset to me. Other than that, I had many people that helped me along the way that have been a great influence as well!

Kendra: Usually, this is where I ask people what they have planned in the coming months but with the world in a strange place right now, plans aren’t as concrete as they typically are. You can go ahead and let us know what you have tentatively planned but can you also share a song that never fails to get you through when the world around you feels like a mess?

Aiko: Strangely enough, I actually really appreciate these times! They forced me to slow down, canceled a lot of my concerts, so I had more time to do music and I decided to release an album! I’m planning on releasing it at the end of June, together with a music video, animations, and all that fun stuff, so I think you should keep an eye out for that! But when it comes to a song that never fails to get me through, it’s probably “Heavy, California” by Jungle! It’s just so energetic, that it always brings you into a good mood.s

The post Letting Loose with Aiko appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: When the band first started to take shape in 2008 did you think it was going to be something that went on for a few years or did you have a good feeling like this was a life-changing moment that would take you far beyond expectations?

On-The-Go: At that time, there was a feeling that we’re finally taking music seriously. We took playing together to another level, had our first studio experience, got a manager, a soundman and just started touring. We were full of enthusiasm and making plans together. We did not quit our day jobs yet, but we were anticipating that in some foreseeable future. So, yeah, we were planning to go as far as we can with the band and we felt pretty optimistic about it.

Kendra: Speaking of then and now, how would you say 2016’ ‘Origins’ compares lyrically and aesthetically to ‘Unsaid?’

On-The-Go: In the ways that we approach the songwriting process a lot has changed since 2016. I mean that right now ‘Unsaid’ feels like the beginning of a completely new era for us. With the latest album for the first time in our lives, we build every song on the album around lyrics, stories and ideas put on paper first, not the sonic and musical ideas. And it was quite a challenge for us and the method we were used to, but that was something that ‘Origins’ brought to our minds. And particularly one song that stood out on the album – “Two of a Kind,” written and sung by Max.

Right now lyrically our songs are way less abstract, I speak truthfully about things I care about and things I am not comfortable with and the whole thing is kind of therapeutic, to be honest. So, for me as a lyricist, it feels like I finally found the courage to speak out, not just to create some moody enigma of a song. Our sound has changed too and we knowingly shift towards acoustic timbres, we wanted to sound real and present, didn’t want to put too much complexity into our arrangements. We were trying to compliment the lyrical core of a song as much as possible, so the whole attitude is kind of ‘old school’, but we got there our own way.

Kendra: How did you guys come to work with Kate NV and Naadia on this record? Long-time friends or newly found ones?

On-The-Go: They have been around for a while and we felt we were connected in many ways with both of the artists and we all knew each other and lived in the same city. I’m very grateful to both Naadia and Kate for their input on our album. We never did collabs before and I must say we liked it a lot. So, hopefully, there’s going to be more of that.

“High” is Naadia’s old song that we tried to collaborate on before but it didn’t work out until now. It just surfaced once again recently and we thought it was a hell of a song and decided to give it a go with the new arrangement. “Happy” was just a demo with a guitar and my vocals, when I clearly heard Kate’s voice in my mind. It made perfect sense because the song was about mental health and how it affects relationships. So adding a female side to the story was a natural idea. Luckily, Kate was not touring at the time and said ‘yes’ to what I’ve heard in my head.

Kendra: Listening through, one of the most timely and profound tracks is “Happy.” Mental health issues have always existed but only in recent years have we been able to openly converse about them, but you look at them through a relationship scope with this track. Were these sentiments and thoughts on the matter something you’d been thinking about putting to song for a while now?

On-The-Go: It is true it’s easier to articulate those problems today and it’s very important to do so. Modern society continues to work its way towards removing the stigma of people struggling with mental health issues. These are the problems we face every day and understanding their nature is just necessary and I hope that one day the matter will be put into the school programs around the world. The topic itself was on my mind for quite a while, yes. I have been married for 13 years now and every now and then we naturally deal with different thoughts and feelings, it can’t always be perfect you can imagine.

Anyone can experience stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, toxic and self-destructive behaviour, jealousy, deal with childhood trauma and so on and so on. In a relationship dealing with any of these seems even harder because there are two of you and each may need to address these issues at some point. And be ready to seek help and accept help. It is a process and most of the time you work hard together to honestly tell yourself that you’re happy.

Kendra: “Unsaid” as a track is about the regret of not getting the chance to say something to someone before it’s too late. If you had the chance to perhaps talk to someone who inspires you musically that you never got the chance to before they left this earth, who would it be and what would you say to them?

On-The-Go: I was never into country music, I was never a believer, but somehow I feel a strong connection with Johnny Cash’s musical journey. I return to his songs over and over again for a long period of my life now and it is just what it is – an unconditional musical love. So speaking to him would be out of this world (and now it literally would be so). I would probably just thank him for the songs he sang and wrote and I would ask him what was his secret throughout his long career. In the end, it would be very nice just to hear his voice in real life no matter what the answer was.

Kendra: Over the years you’ve gotten to tour with everyone from She Wants Revenge to Foster The People, so are there any big tour plans coming up that you can tell us about?

On-The-Go: We were lucky to share stages with many talented musicians who we looked up to and there are plenty more we wish to play with so I hope we’ll continue to be lucky. At the moment we’re planning a series of headline shows to support our new album and of course, we look forward to our shows in the UK in May.

The post On-The-Go: Speaking on the Unsaid appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Kendra: Being the daughter of a guitarist, was there ever any other direction you thought your life would take other than the creative arts?

KSENIA: I don’t think so! Music influenced my life from an early age and I was always eager to learn. According to my mother, I once demanded to be enrolled in a music school. So far, I have no regrets about the direction my life has taken.

Kendra: For those who don’t know, you met your producer Mario Marchetti while walking down the street looking for a place to stay. Had you not been a little turned and didn’t have to “Keep Walking” how do you feel your life would be different today?

KSENIA: This is an excellent question! I feel so lucky to have met my producer. He has been a close friend for so many years now, and he is so talented. Musically, we are an awesome match! I think if I hadn’t met him, I would have sung different songs and I can’t imagine singing anything else. I am glad for that by-chance meeting and that things worked out the way they did.

Kendra: For those who didn’t catch that, “Keep Walking” is the latest single off your 2020 release, ‘Fire with Fire.’ Chocked full of a beautiful blend of pop and R&B, this EP is bound to grab the attention of listeners, but where did a small Russian town girl get a hold of R&B back in the day?

KSENIA: Thank god, we had TV and radio and also had access to CDs of Queen, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears. I grew up rocking to this type of music and at one point, I believed I was a Baby Spice.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting. I mix and match rap and Russian folk songs. Yes! I love to rap! I also enjoy listening to what’s popular on the radio. So, what I do now is very much influenced by current pop music.

Kendra: I too grew up in a very small town, and it could feel a little suffocating at times. Did you ever feel like that as a kid? Like if you didn’t get the chance to move, you’d be stuck there for eternity?

KSENIA: Oh really? Where are you from? I didn’t feel like that as a kid. In fact, I didn’t feel constrained in any way as a child. I was just happy to sing at every event in our city. Later, when I was a teenager, the small-town factor finally hit me, after I had won all the contests possible in my own town, I had to ask myself, what’s next. America seemed a bit unrealistic back then, so I moved to Vladivostok when I turned 17. From there, after a few years, I moved to Saint Petersburg and then to NYC and LA!

Recently, I went to my hometown, Nakhodka. I couldn’t imagine how my life would have been if I didn’t get the chance to leave, I believe I’d probably be very depressed.

Kendra: I’m from Cabazon out in California. If you’ve ever been to Coachella, you’ve more than likely stopped for a bathroom break there! But back to you, on top of making music, you’re also a trained actor. How do you feel acting and singing go hand in hand in terms of creativity and execution of the craft?

KSENIA: I think that these are all forms of storytelling. You can’t sing a song without feeling and living it, and that’s acting. So, they both go hand in hand. In my opinion, it’s hard to write a good song, if you can’t put yourself in another person’s shoes. I love acting, it helps me with my music videos as well. I think every human on earth should take acting lessons; it develops empathy and listening skills.

Kendra: With ‘Fire with Fire’ out in February, do you have plans to tour this year?

KSENIA: I am actually in the process of making plans for this year. Lots of new music and videos will be coming out soon. And I definitely want to tour! Follow me on Instagram to get all the latest info on what’s coming up after “Fire with Fire”.

The post KSENIA: Small Town Dreams, Big City Realities appeared first on ZO Magazine.

Every year, all around the world people head off to college and while some graduate and go on to be amazing in what they studied, there are some of us who trade that for a new passion. I didn’t study to do what I do now, and neither did custom dressmaker Julia Miren. In fact, despite being the daughter of a tailor, she couldn’t sew. It was her husband her gave her a lesson and pushed her towards where she is today – making some of the most remarkable custom wedding and formal gowns out there. Now take a seat and get to know more about this rising designer.

Kendra: Have you always worked in fashion, or did you start elsewhere in your career?

Julia Miren: Actually, I’m a metal engineer by training. I graduated from the top technical university in the country. But in the last year of study, I realized that it wasn’t for me, and decided not to continue my studies.

It is not strange, but I do not have a sewing education. I am completely self-taught in sewing and design and think that it’s easy for me because I really like it. At the same time, I am very scrupulous and perfectionist and bother with the topic of quality.

Kendra: What drew you to wedding gowns and formal evening wear?

Julia Miren: I like that there are no borders and no frames; lace, tulle, chiffon. I also like that a wedding dress is something special; not for every day. This is a dream and every girl has a different one. And I like to create something new – for different tasks and wishes of the bride.

Kendra: Where do you draw most of your design inspiration from?

Julia Miren: This usually comes when I have my initial discussion with the bride about her future dress. There is some kind of magic, and it is difficult to convey in words. I am not inspired by nature or the weather. Rather, my clients inspire me. They are individuals, different and interesting. I like to find ideas for their unique dresses for them, and fulfill their dream. This is the happiness of my life and the greatest inspiration!

Kendra: Every decade seems to have its own style when it comes to wedding fashion. Do you have a favorite? Also, what decade do you think had the craziest wedding fashion?

Julia Miren: As I said, I am not a fashion expert and know little about the history of fashion. I focused more on my inner taste of beauty and bring it to the world. The craziest wedding fashion, in my opinion, is now. This is an absolute flight of imagination and creativity. Nothing limits it; not decency, not color, not materials.

Photo Credit: Kristina Makeeva

Kendra: In the past couple of months, you did this lavish ombre gown that featured beautiful hues of turquoise and blues. How long did that particular piece take to make?

Julia Miren: The first such dress was sewn in ombre from dirty pink, powdery, to white. That was in 2017. And then it was quite difficult – since there are a lot of calculations, money, and fear – how will it work out?

Many tens of kilometers of tulle stripes were gathered in ruffles and sewn. Each transitional shade was made manually by mixing different tulle colors. This is a colossal work, besides monotonous. But I stood it. It took about a month of daily labor.

I sewed a dress in turquoise shades especially for the photographer Kristina Makeeva for a photo shoot on the ice of Lake Baikal. This is an incredible place and it is a delight from the shades of water when it freezes in winter.

I selected the shades of tulle to match the colors of Baikal ice so that later Kristina could photograph this incredible skirt in the same place. It turned out great! When Kristina received the skirt, she was shocked and wrote to me, “Oh my God! It does not fit into my apartment! That’s what I needed!”

Kendra: What do you have coming up as far as work is concerned? Are you working on new pieces right now?

Julia Miren: Each dress I’ve done so far was sewn for a specific purpose and has its own mistress. I do not sew a collection for the sake of the collection. This is not interesting to me. I like to create dresses and solve specific problems of customers. As I already wrote, inspiration comes from solving existing client tasks.

I am constantly working on new dresses and creating custom dresses for brides and photographers, photo projects and dress rental studios around the world. I can’t show a lot, because this is an individual work and it’s bad to show bride dresses before the wedding. And work on such orders can last half a year to a year.

But when the wedding day arrives, the bride puts on a dress and she realizes her dream has come true, it is an indescribable feeling of joy and happiness. A happy review from the bride is the very thing for sewing and working for. This is my love and my passion!

Photo Credit: Theresa Rasmussen

The post Julia Miren: Creating Custom Couture appeared first on ZO Magazine.